Suction cleaner



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of the fan chamber, as shown irl-Figure 5, and as will later be described in greater detail.

The motor housing 3 has a generally rounded or dome-like contour, definitely elongated in a longitudinal direction and, extending from a point well forwardly of the motor location, terminates flush with the exhaust outlet. The front central portion of the motor housing 3 is recessed to form the compartment for the lamp I4, already mentioned. This compartment I4 is generally semicircular in horizontal section and is formed by an upright wall segment 3a and closed by the removable cover plate I1. The lamp socket I5 is preferably a vertical bore-in a cylindric-shaped boss formed at the bottom of the compartment and open at its lower end so that the base terminals of the lamp are exposed for contact with the ends of resilient arms 22 mounted on the motor 6 and electrically connected with the source of current through conductors 23.

The cover plate I1 extending over the front of the lamp compartment is preferably formed of sheet metal and is provided with a rectangular opening or window I1a immediately in front of the lamp so that the light therefrom is directed upon the floor surface ahead of the nozzle. And in order to improve the appearance of the cleaner, the lamp compartment cover plate YI1 is preferably made the forward section of a metal band 25 extending lengthwise over the top of the motor housing and consisting of a thin strip of metal fitted or inlaid into a shallow channel formed in the surface of the housing and suitably anchored as for instance, by a series of ears 25a located at intervals along the edges of the band 25v and adapted to be inserted through a corresponding series of narrow slots 26 extending through the top wall of the motor housing. And in order to obtain a flush mounting of the removable cover plate I1, the same seats along its side edges in shallow'grooves and along its top edge it has overlapping contact with the forward edge of the strip 25, a portion of the casing immediately below the joint being cut away to accommodate the overlapping edges. lAnd finally, to hold the cover plate I1 in place, a spring latch member I1b is riveted to the inner face thereof just below the window I1a with its looped end adapted to engage a locking detent 21 formed in the casing member I just forwardly of the lamp socket I5. A tab I1c along the lower edge of the cover plate I1 facilitates its removal.

Having described the formation of the casing member I, the installation of the motor 6 will now be described: Except for the fact that the motor is especially designed for mounting on end, with its axis arranged vertically, it is of a standard.

design and characteristics. The motor frame 30 is preferably a shell stamped from sheet metal and, shaped somewhat like a turret, encloses the motor parts and supports the armature shaft end bearings and commutator brushes. The motor frame 30 is supported by the plate 8 heretofore identified and to which it is fastened by means of bolts 3i passing through said plate and a flange 30a around the base of the motor frame. The motor supporting or bottom plate 8 also forms a partition wall between the fan chamberv and its exhaust passage and the space occupied by the motor. As clearly shown in Figure 4, bosses 32 are formed at intervals around the upper edge of the fan chamber and4 which are tapped for screws 33.

715i. spaced a short distance above the bottom plate 8 and constituting substantially a counterpart thereof is a partition plate 34 adapted to separate or divide the space within the motor housing and surrounding the upper portion of the motor case 33 from the space immediately surrounding the base of themotor casing. The purpose of this horizontal partition plate 34 is to promote the circulation of air through the motor for cooling purposes, there being provided at the extreme rear end wall of the motor housingy 3 just below its junction with the partition plate 34, an outlet slot 3l through which air is discharged from the lowermost space after passing through the motor case 30 and exhausted from circular holes 30h formed around the base thereof. As is common in motors of this type, a small Ventilating fan is mounted on the armature shaft and although this fan is not disclosed, it will be understood that it acts to circulate the air through the motor which enters through series of ports 30e formed around the upper end of the motor casing 30, this air being supplied to the space above the partition walls 34 through an inlet opening or slot 38 formed in the rear end wall of the motor housing 3 immediately above the partition wall 34.

It is also to be noted that the commutator brushes 31, 31 are retained within cylindric brush Vholding members 38, 38, supported in diametric ,relation nea'r the upper end of the motor case 30 as shown in Figure 3. In order to permit the convenient replacement of these brushes, the motor is assembled with the brush holders registering with bosses 39 on the sides of the motor housing 3 tapped to receive screw plugs 40 having reduced end portions projecting axially into the ends of the cylindrlc brush holders 38 and forming abutment for the coil springs 4I, 4I which hold the brushes in contact with the commutator 42 on the amature shaft.

This completes the` mounting and assembly of the motor 8, whereupon the next step is to complete the fan chamber, the upper half of which is formed as an integral part of the casing I and identified as the depending annular web I9. Since the motor and fan constitute a unit with the'fan located just below the bottom plate 8, the latter becomes also the top wall of the fan chamber. Thus, to completei the fan chamber a separate wall section 43 isprovided, comprising a shallow dish-shaped member generally annular in shape and\otherwise conforming exactly to the contour of the depending web I8. This piece 43 which forms the lower half of the fan chamber, also forms the lower half of the exhaust passagexwith its flanged outlet` connection as clearly shown in Figure 5. And for the purpose of securing the lower fan chamber section 43 in place, a series of radially extending bosses 43a are located at intervals along its contacting edges and register with' companion bosses I9a around the edge of the depending web I3, and which are suitably drilled and tapped to receive screws 44. Moreover, there are formed as integral parts of the lower fan chamber section 43, the outwardly curved webs 2|, 2i, disposed'symmetrically at the forward end of said section and adapted to register with the shallow webs 20, 2li on the underside of the casing member I. These pairs of webs 2l and 2i are joined edge to edge by screws anchored in bosses at their .outer extremities and when the assembly operation is completed, the vertical walls thus formed not only constitute the rear walls of the nozzle chamber but also define the entrance to the passage from the nomle chamber to the inlet opening la to the fan chamber, this passage being formed in! pari:l

by a depending U-shaped nange 4l uniting the ends of the extended portions of the vertical webs 2 I Il and extending inwardly on the underside of the bottom section 4I, includes the eentrally located fan eye 9a. l I

The section also carries the rear wheel supporting bracket I6 which is suitably fastened as by rivets to-its underside, Just rearwardly ofl the inlet opening "eye" 9a to A the fan chamber.

Without going into detail, the rear caster bracket `is applied over the space included between webs 2i and 45, having edge to edge contact therewith to complete the air passage from the nozzle .chamber as hereinbefore stated. There is nothingparticularly novel in the arrangement of the bottom plate I0, or for that matter, the spring latching device 48 which is incorporated as a part of therear caster bracket 48 and serves to hold the bottom plate in place by engaging a projecting detent at the extreme rear end of the bottom plate. Also, the varrangement of the supporting wheels is more-or less standard, including the front wheels amounted on iixed bearings just rearwardly of the ends' ofnozzle chamber.l And finally, the Vcleaner is provided `with the usualhandle including a U-shaped ,bail 50a which straddlesthe motor hood and,

with` its fend portion Vthereof passing through longitudinal slots 5I,.5I in the top wall I8 of the casing I.is suitably connected for pivotal movement below, the pivotpoint being `thus concealed from view as clearly shownin'Figure 1..

f Thus, to summarize :the outstanding structural features of the present disclosure, exclusive of the-operating parts, the first-to be noted is the` one-piece casing and motor housingwhich encloses the space occupied by themotor but in `nowise supports or formsany part thereof. In

other words, ,the motor in thebresenty disclosure is a complete power unitsupported upon a plate anchored to the main casing I and which becomes the topl wall of the fan chamber. And iny connection with the fan chamber, it is further noted that the upper half of its side wall, including that of the discharge passage, is an integral part of the main casing member I, the lower section being necessarily a separate piece, fastened in place after the. motor has been assembled. H,

.And a further feature toxbe noted, is the provision made .for renewing the commutator brushes and providing openings through the sides of the motor housing, thus making it unnecessary to completely disassemble thecleaner in 'order to maken. relatively minor replacement. And lastly, there there are the structural advantages oflightness resulting from the casting or molding of the main body` memberjof light material,V 'and theA use of relatively'few parts capable of being quickly assembled intoja compact and eiliture herein disclosed, Iclaim: ,Y y {1.11na suction cleaner,the combination oia said fan chamber. 5,. In a suction cleaner, the combinationof a one-piece casing forming the top and side walls one-piece casing forming a downwardly .opening nome chamber and a dome-like motor housing,

a motor vertically mounted in said housing and including a bottom plate supporting the motor and adapted to close of! the' motor housing and to form the top wall of a fanf chamber and exhaust outlet passage, a fan directly connected with said motor and Jlocated immediately below said bottom plate, said casing being provided` on its underside with shallow webs dening the margins of the 'fan chamber, its outlet passage and the rear walls of the nozzle chamber, a shallow dish-shaped casting conforming to the contour of the fan chamber and outlet passage and adapted to be fastened to the underside of the one-piece'casing in edge to edge contact with corresponding webs to complete the fan chamber and outlet passage, said fan chamber casting being provided with a depending web on its under surface' partially surrounding an opening at the center of its bottom wall and extending forwardly to form the side walls of an inlet passage from said nozzle chamber `to said fan chamber and to complete the rear walls of said nozzle chamber, and a bottom plate removably mounted for contact with the bottom edges of the external web on said fan chamber casting to close the inlet passage from said nozzle chamber to the opening into said fan chamber.

2. In a suction cleaner. the combination of a one-piece casing forming a nozzle chamber, a motor housing and sections of the side walls of a fan chamber and of the outlet passage therefrom, a motor-enclosed in said housing and including a supporting plate forming the top' wall of said fan chamber and outlet passage, and a separable'wall section applied to the underside of said casing to complete said fan chamber and. :outlet passage.

3. In a suction cleaner, the ,combination of a Yone-.piece :casing forming a nozzle, a downwardly opening. housing and the upper side wall sections of a fan chamber and outlet passage therevfrom immediately below said housing, a motor mountedwithin said housing, a horizontal plate supporting said motory and extending over the opening tosaid housing to form a continuous top wall for said fan chamber and outlet passage,

i and a separable wall section completing the side top wall ofv said fan chamber and outlet passage, a motor and fan unit supported by said plate, a

separable wall lsection adapted to be applied tothe'undersde of said casing to complete the fan chamber :and 'its outlet passage through the ,medium of ccn'iplemeniiaryA abutting` flanged edges, anda removable plate spaced, below ysaid `'separable wallvsect'ion; and forming the bottom` wall oi' an air vinlet passage from said nozzle to of a nozzle/chamber andra downwardly` opening .housing'in' the uppery portion of said casing, vsaid casing'havingjintegral depending webs 'or under' surfacedning the annular side walls ofajfan 4 alegue chamber and outlet passage immediately below its outlet passage through the medium of comsaid housing, a plate extending over the opening plementary abutting flanged edges, and a removto said housing to form the top wall of said fan able bottom plate ooactlng with vertical webs on chamber and outlet passage, a motor and fan the underside oi' said separable wall section to unit supported by said plate. a separable wall form an air inlet e from said nozzle to 5 section adapted to be applied to the under side said ian chamber.

of said casing to complete the fan chamber and EUGENE L. SNYDER. 

